Seasonal variations and age-related changes in human sperm count, motility, motion parameters, morphology, and white blood cell concentration

Objective: To determine the presence of any seasonal variations and age-rel ated changes in sperm parameters in andrology patients and fertile donors. Design: Retrospective analysis. Setting: University medical center andrology laboratory. Patient(s): The database of 2,065 semen analyses was retrospectively review ed for the period of March I, 1996, to October 31, 1998. Intervention(s): None. Main Outcome Measures(s): The sperm count, motility, motile count, progress ive straightline velocity, and percentage of rapid sperm were determined wi th the Hamilton-Thorne IVOS analyzer with standard setup parameters. Result(s): There were no significant seasonal differences in the patient's Volume, sperm count, motility, motile count, whereas the percentage of rapi d sperm and progressive straightline velocity were significantly lower in t he spring. Correlation analysis of patient semen parameters versus age impl ied that as age increases there is a tendency for these semen parameters to decrease, whereas percent tail defects showed a significant positive corre lation with age. Conclusion(s): Age-adjusted analyses of seasonal variations in andrology pa tient semen parameters showed significant seasonal variation in the percent age rapid motile sperm and straightline velocity, as well as the percent ta il defects, percent immature sperm, and the percent tapered sperm. Such sea sonal variations might prove to be clinically relevant and important when d esigning experimental protocols. (Fertil Steril(R) 1999,72. 803-8. (C) 1999 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.).